Bonus point win as Durham clip wings of Eagles

A FOUR-WICKET haul for fledgling seamer Phoebe Turner was followed by a brilliant unbeaten 93 for New Zealander Suzie Bates as dominant Durham brushed aside Essex by nine wickets at the Banks Homes Riverside in yesterday's Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition opener.

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Turner, 21, was the standout bowler with four for 33 from eight overs as Essex were bowled out for 177 inside 48 overs. Fellow seamer Grace Thompson also impressed with two wickets on her professional debut, while experienced leg-spinner Katie Levick struck three times.

Essex recovered from 65 for five in the 20th over, with Jodie Grewcock contributing 31 and Sophia Smale 40. They shared a sixth-wicket 53, but it wasn’t enough in front of a 600-strong crowd at the start of the professional era of women’s cricket in the North East.

Opener Bates is Durham's first-ever professional women’s overseas signing, and she led a composed chase with 14 fours in 103 balls. She shared a superb unbroken 173 with second-wicket partner and captain Hollie Armitage, 64 off 87 balls. A five-point victory was sealed in the 33rd over.